Weft replenishing loom



Feb. 3, 1,953 w, wAKEFlELD 2,627,286

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed May 25, 1950- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 i mvENToR WALTER H. wAKEFlELD ATTORNEY Feb- 3, 1953 w. H. wAKl-:FIELD 2,627,286

WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM Filed May 25, 195o T 2 sHEETssHEET 2 /f' 4B Flc-:.2 Fles W @PQ T/g n?? 1 e 58 T 59 INVENTOR WALTER H. WAKEFIELD 7 L' am @may ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 19u53 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Al/"JEFSL `RilPlLENISJI-ING LOOM Walter H; Wakefield, Worcester, Massgassignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom WorksfWorcester, Mass., .a corporation of Massachusetts Applicationlvfay 25, 1950,2Seria1 No. 164,173

(Cl. Bti- 231) Y 6 Claims. 1

This `invention relates to weft 'replenishing looms more vparticularly of the multicolor type and it 'is the general objectlof theinvention to provide improved hobbin transfer revoking and magazine resetting mechanisms for such looms.

The usual multicolor weft replenishing mechanism employs a setting shaft operatively connected to a shuttleposition detector and atransferrer latch in such manner that when the shaft is moved to transfer` position it movesthe detector to shuttle detecting positionand also lifts the transferrer latch into the path of the lay. The shaft is returned to its normal position by engagement of the shuttle detector 'with thelay as the latter approaches front center on Va weft replenishing beat, but this resetting occurs while the latch is still engaged with the lay during a normal transferring operation. It is for thisreason that the latch cannot he; positively connected to the shaft but musthe connected to it hy a lost motion connection. As a result the latch may not be able to drop out `of `tlievpa'th of the lay when a bohbin transferring operation should he revoked due to misplacement of thes-huttle.

It is an important object of the present invention to connect'the shuttle position detector positively to the transferrer latch so that a slight motion of the detector hy a misplaced shuttle will positively move the latch out of the'path of the lay. In order that the force which the misplaced shuttle must exert to revoke transfer may he reduced to a minimum, it is a further object of the inventionto disconnect the setting shaft from both the shuttle detector` and latch except for a very brief vtimewhen the shaft sets the magazine for transfer, after which the shaft immediately returnsto its reset position in which it is disconnected from both the shuttle detector and latch.

lt is a further object ofv the invention to provide the aforesaid setting vshaft with a thrust rod or the like effective tomove the shuttle position detector to its detecting position and then move away from the detector so that the latter may be moved by amisplaced shuttle without interference hy the rod. The push rod isbrought into action by downward movement of one for another of the vertical bobbinlreleasers of the magazine. The shaft becomes'disengaged' from the releaser as the latter-approaches its normal down position and immediately returns to its reset position. Because of --the fact that the shaft `will he disconnected from theshuttle detector at `the time of loolobin transfer `revocation the shuttle need exert only enough force" on the detectorfto move the transferrerlatch `out of-lay-engaging position and the shuttle detector and. the revoking function is more-sensitive-than would be` possible if the shuttle detector were also Yobliged-to return the shaft to its normalposition.infadditionto movingthe latch.

Sincegtheshuttle detectorfis not directly connected-to the shaft some `provision must be made for returning it to its normal position after a weft replenishing operation and this can be effected by a cam which comes `into action to reset the shuttle feeler and latch after the latter has become disengaged from the lay due tobaci.- ward movementofthe latter following a replen ishing operation.

In order that `the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example the embodiments of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a weft replenishing loom transverse of the lay showing the invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is` an enlarged front elevation looking inthe direction'of arrow 2, Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan Viet/.looking inthe direction of arrow 3, lFig. l, `part of the magazine being-in Ycross section,

Eig. 4 is a vertical section on `line lt-i, Fig. 3 showing the `parts in normal position preparatory to a setting operation,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section online 5 5, 3 showing a -forrn of frictontmeanswhich can he utilized to hold the shuttle detector in itsdetecting position,

Fig. 6 isafviewsimilar'to the upperpart of Fig. 2, but'showing a releaser and the setting shaft -in two different positions,

'l showsthe self resetting mechanism Afor the setting shaft in Atwo positions, and

Fig. :3'` is a diagrammatic view similar to a part of- Fig. 4 and illustrating-the manner in which the shuttlepositionf detector remains in its` shuttle detecting position after `the aforesaid thrust rod=returnsto its, normal positionincident to resetting of theV setting shaft.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the loom frame l supports :top and bottom shafts 2 and-3` `which aref-geared together so that. the `loottom shaft rotates once for everysecond rotation ofthe top shaft. The top shaft rotates once for eaoh pick of` the `loom and causes the .usual back andforth reciprocation of the lay L.

The loom is. provided with. a multicolor magazinetM having-in the present instance four yvertical-slidlg-hoobin releasers 4,5,.6 and l. Each releaserhas a top` lug 8 and aV bottom lug 5 for cooperation with a co-lor slide lil. slide is mounted forhorizontal-sliding: movement withl respect-tothe magazine and also forlangular movement. The ,colorslide has frontfand backreleaser lifterand depressorngers-ll and l 2,v respectively, and lthe color slide canassume anyone of four operating r positions .by rocking of arleven I'3lwhich-moves in timerelationwith some, part of the.,loomassociated withthe. shuttleboxeslnotshown).

" The rocking movements ofthe color slideare The latter controlled by a cam C secured to the bottom shaft 3 and cooperating with a lever I4 pivoted at I5 to a stand I6 secured to the loom frame. The rear part of lever I4 has a roll I1 entering a groove I8 of the cam and the cam has a decline I9, an incline 20, and a dwell 2| between the incline and decline. The cam turns in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 1.

The forward end of lever I4 is connected to an upright rod 25 the upper end of which has pivoted thereto a floating lever 26. Lever 26 has the right end thereof as viewed in Fig. 2 under a stationary pin 21 and has its left end pivoted to an upright rod 28 connected to rocking mechanism 29 operatively related to the color slide. A pin 3i) is provided for the under side of the right end of lever 26 but is normally out of the path ofy the lever except on those beats of the loom when the weft detector (not shown) indicates weft exhaustion, whereupon pin 3D moves under the lever 26.

Each releaser slide has a dog 35 pivoted to the upper end thereof and formed with a pocket 36 to receive the lower end of a compression spring 31 the upper end of which is received by another pocket 38 at the top of the releaser. The magazine frame includes an inner plate 39 for engagement with the pocket 36, or right side of the dog as viewed in Fig. 6.

The magazine includes in its construction a transferrer arm 40 having pivoted thereto a transferrer latch 4I for engagement with a bunter 42 on the lay. A shuttle position detector 45 is secured to a detector carrier 46 rockable on a stud 41 secured as at 48 to some part of the magazine M, see Fig. 3. The detector carrier 46 is provided with an arm 49 substantially parallel to the shuttle detector 45 to which is secured a stud l.

The matter thus far described is of common construction in multicolor weft replenishing mechanisms and operates in the usual manner. The releasers 4-1 will normally be down so that their dogs 35 will be inoperative or in the position indicated in Fig. 2 and dotted lines, Fig. 6. When the shuttle is at the magazine end of the loom, cam decline I9 causes a downward motion of rod 25 which will be idle if the weft detector fails to indicate at weft exhaustion, but if it does indicate weft exhaustion pin 30 wil1 interrupt downward motion of the right end of rlever 26, Fig. 2, whereupon rod 28 will be depressed to rock color slide I0 in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 2, to engage the upper lug 8 of the releaser 4 registered with it. This releaser will then rise and its dog 35, being free from the magazine plate 39, will swing out to the dot and dash line position of Fig. 6 under action of spring 31.

The shuttle is then picked to the opposite side of the loom and incline will cause rod 25 to rise at some time in the cycle of the loom after the period during which lever I3 can move the color slide longitudinally. This upward Vmovement of rod causes lever 26 to rock around pin 21 as a center to rock the color slide in a clockwise direction as in Fig. 2, and if the color slide isstill registered with the previously raised releaser 4the bottom lug 9 of the latter will be depressed by thecolor slide and the releaser will be moved down or returned to its normal position. The camdwell v2| holds the color slide II! against angular motion during the rising and falling movements of the rod 25. The` dwell of the color slide in its neutral position will ordinarily occur during an interval starting when the lay has moved rearwardly after a detecting operation and will continue at least until the lay has completed its next forward motion. Downward motion of the releaser releases the bottommost bobbin of the associated stack of bobbins and the released bobbin will move to transfer position under the arm 40.

The matter thus far described, except as noted hereinafter, operates in the usual manner to replenish a shuttle S on the lay as the latter moves forwardly by cooperation of bunter 42 and latch 4I, after the latch has been set as will be described hereinafter. The replenishing operation ordinarily extends over the greater part of a twopick cycle of the loom.

In carrying the present invention into eiect the magazine M is provided with a setting shaft 55 having securedV thereto a shelf member 56 adapted for engagement with the dogs of all of the releasers. An arm 51 secured to rod 55 has depending therefrom a setting member or thrust rod 53 the lower end of which is Vprovided with a foot 59 preferably concave as at 66. Foot 59 normally overhangs the stud 56 and is preferably spaced slightly above it as shown in Fig. 4.

The magazine has secured thereto a guide 6I for rod 58.

Secured to the forward end of shaft 55 is an arm 65 having a block 66 pivoted thereon and slidable in a slot 61 in arm 68 of a lever 69 pivoted on the magazine as at 16.V A stop screw 1I on lever 66 engages a part 12 of the magazine to limit angular movement of the lever 69 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. '7, and a second stop screw 13 limits counter-clockwise turning. A spring 14 operatively interposed between block 66 and lever 69 is normally expanded and holds the parts in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7.

The shelf 55 is normally in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6 and rod 53 is in its raised position. When one of the releases is moved downwardly from the dot and dash line position shown in Fig. 6 its dog engages shelf 56 and rocks the latter and setting shaft 55 to the full lin-e position shown in Fig. 6, thereby depressing thrust rod 58 from the dotted line to the full line position, Fig. 8, and causing the shuttle Iposition detector to move downwardly from its normal position shown in Fig. 1 to its shuttle detecting position. 'As the releaser approaches'its lowest position its dog will be reset by plate 36 of the Vmagazine and will move to the dotted line position, Fig. 6, out of engagement withY the shelf 56.

At the time the dog moves away from the shelf 56 the arms 65 and 63 have reached the full line position shown in Fig. 7 which however is an unstable position, since the block 66 is not in line with the centers 55 and 16 but is on the same side of it as it is when the parts are in their normal dotted line position. The spring 14, having been compressed 'during rocking of the shelf 56 under action of the dog, is therefore free to return the parts to the dotted line position shown in Fig. '7 as soon as the dog leaves the shelf and in doing so returns the setting shaft to its normal reset position. Rod 58'rises as shaft 55 is reset so that shoe 53 will be in the raised dotted line position of Fig. 8 above the stud 55. This action of the spring 14 permits Shaft sa to set the shuttle position detector i5 for a transfer operation, but also effects immediate self-resetting of the'shaft 55 to a position where the shoe 59 cannot interfere with return motion of the shuttle position detector toabaisse s ward `its normal position misplaced shuttle.

Extending rearwardly from thejsshuttle position detector carrier 45 is an arm 15 having secured thereto a stud l6 connected to the core 'il of 'a shielded flexible wire 1 8 secured the `loom by clips 19. The forward I end of the core is connected as at BD to thefiorward part ofthe latch mechanisrnl in `front of the latch pivot 8| on the transferrer arm lill.` The core 'l1 positively connects the shuttle detectores te the latch 4l so that these parts always `move in Stud lo extends througnayertial Vslot 85 formed in the top of va rod 86 the lowerjend of which is pivoted to an arm "'81 seoured to a shaft 88 rocking in the stand t6; "A second arn1 $9 also secured to` shaft iis positioned for periodic engagement with a cam tappet 90 formedon the cam C. Tappet 90 depresses'arm 89 every second pick oi" thelcom to vcause a downward motion of rod 8in y In operation, downward motion offorfleor the other of the releasers 4--1 will rock Shaft v55 to depress thrust rod 58 and move thejshuttle position detector t to its shuttle detecting position simultaneously with lifting of the latch 4l to a position in the path of the lay bunter 42. lAssoon as the shuttle feeler Yand latch are thus setfor a replenishingoperation the dog of the `descending releaser dis-engages 'the shelf 56 and the shaft 55 and'rod V58 return immedatelyt 'their normal positions. The top shaftSS'is thus vreset a very short time after Ythe magazine is set for a bohbin transfer and this self-resetting is accomplished independently-of the shuttle detector.

lf 'a normal transfer follows V'setting ofthe magazine the latch 4I will be moved forwardly by the bunter and the transferre'r arm @t will insert a bobbin into the shuttle S and the shuttle detector 45 will remain down. A slot 91 in the box back 92 on the lay aligned with detector 45 permits the latter to remaindownas the lay beats upto its front center position. `Aftercompletion of bobbin transf-er' the layfmoves rearwardly with thela'tch still engaged with the bunter and eventually the latter moves away from the latch and `the latter can lb'e returned to its normal -position. During this operation the latchremains engaged with thelay for! an interval of time Starting before the i'lay 'reachesfrontcnter and continuing a short timeafter thellay moves backwardly from front center.`

At a later time `in the loom cycle after disengagement of the bunter and latch cam tappet v9!) depresses arm 89 and as rod BBfmoves downwardly its upper end engages stud'l to rock` the shuttle detector back to its normal position and canse thefl'atch to return to itsAnon-transfer or inoperative position by `a force transmitted through the core ll. It` will be noted that'tliisresetting of the shuttle detector and latch lis independent of and occurs subsequent to resetting of the shaft 55.

If the shuttle should not oe `correctly placed vfor a bobbin transferitwililift the detector 45 as the lay moves forwardly andvin doingfso will cause the corel'l to exert` apositive force on the latch to move the latter downwardly out lof the path of the bunter 42, therebylpositivelyeiecting revocation of bobbin transfer to'fpreventfa weft replenishing operation. This upward movement of the shuttle detector by the misplaced shuttle is possible because at the start of a revoking operation the stud 16 is at the top of the slot 85 and can move downwardly in the latter. There- 6 lafter the cani tappetiV will "eifeot lowering of rod stand if the shuttle tdetectorhas not been completely `returned to its normal position Alos theA misplaced vshuttle `such resetting will'be effece@ byrhtamao. q After mathrm md 5s returns to its normal raised position incident kto self-resetting of shaft 5 5 whenintheA magazine isset "for transfer the shuttledetector will Vloe held in its down detecting position by `the friction of 4the Vcore l1 inthe fle'r'iihle;Wire `18. If this friction isnot suiicient addti'0n1-fri'ctin he'ris may belmployed infcluding friction pad 95 held against holder 4B hy nuts 99 on the sorevv threaded "end of stud 41, SeJFie'S-land ...from trie ,foregoing it .vi-1,11 "be ses: :that rthe invention `jsetsjfcfntli` 'a fsettiifg Ashaft "55 "of vthe SelfgsSetting We@ after mbvine theehuitledetector to d'etect'ing position returns to "normal position `and 'is 'out fof engagement with the shnttle detector,4 'I hfe latter can therefore respondto a very light `force in order to eiTect revocationofja `called transfer, such as may beleaerteibythe tipof asnuttie; `,snaftss lis some- Whatfsiniila'r tof'shafts *previously used 'in vmulticolor weft `ifeplenishing mechanisms except that under former practice the yielding 10er shown in Fig. 7 hashad'thefstopscrew '73 set top'ef. mit the lock to pass over' center. Inthe present instance, however, thelock is not permitted to reach center position `and ishtherefore able to effect self'resetti'ng'ofjtheshaft155. The thrustrod v53, after setting jthe magazine Tora replenishing operatioQnL returns to its lnormal position as indicated indottedlin'es in Figf, spaced above stud 5o. free isnuttieidetector, "core 'n 'of y nexi- .lole wire 18, "and the j latoh constitute a `positively connected 'trainwhich 'is moved in one direction bythe thrust' of rodiQafte'r which it is returned to normal position byaforce which 'acts'without being required to'moveshaftf55- Having thus described theirivention it win 'be seen that' changesandmodifications of the foregoing specific vdijsclosuremay be'ma'd'e without departing fromthe spirit and 'scope of thein- Ventenz What is claimed as new "is: Y

1. In a "weft "replenishing "loom having a lay,

a setting-shan, resilient loci; meansnoiding the shaftin n orrntal position,y a bobb'in release'r having a motion incident toa"weft replenishing operation of` the loom, means operatively connectingthe shaft "and r'eleaserduri'ng p'art, ofsaid motion of the releasr to givethe shaft a setting movement` 'and thereafter loeconihg disengaged from the shaft as the releas'er nears the end of said motion, the locktheeupon returning the shaft to normalpo'sti'on, a thrust rod `moving with the `shaft,'atrain5of positively connected mechanisms moving inunison includinga shuttle position f detector in nondetecting position andaftransferrenlatch out of "the path of the lay when the train is innormal position. -said thrustrod eifectivewhenthe shaft-has said setting movement thereof to move said-train in one direction to move the'detectofr to detectingposition and move said"1atoh intot'he Apath of the lay, afterwhich-the thrust v1"( Jd'n1`oves away from said V'train the resilient lockfretrns thefshaft to the normal-position thereof/the detector'if engaged hy `a "misplaced Ashuttle `moving said train in the opposite direction and moving the latch out of the path of the lay While disengaged from said thrust rod, and means resetting said train to normal position subsequent to a normal replenishing operation.

2.l In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a train of positively connected elements moving in unison and including a shuttle position detector normally in non-detecting position and a transferrer latch normally out of the path of the lay, said train causing the latch to be moved by the detector when the latter moves, cam means rotating in a two-pick cycle, reciprocable actuator means normally at rest but having a working stroke followed by an idle return stroke preparato-ry to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, means in said train moved by the actuator means when the latter has said working stroke only moving the train in one direction to move the detector to detecting position and move the latch into the path of the lay, the train remaining in' transfer position as the actuator means has said idle return stroke, the latch being in engagement with the lay for a given interval if a replenishing operation occurs, a misplaced shuttle engaging the train after the ac- Vtuator means has returned to the normal position thereof and moving the train in the opposite direction to move the latch out of the path of the lay independently of the actuator means, and resetting means acting subsequent to said interval returning said train to the normal position thereof.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a train of positively connected elements moving in unison including' a shuttle-position detector normally in non-detecting position and a tra-nsferrer latch normally out of the path of the lay when the train is in the normal position thereof, a setting shaft for said train, means rocking said setting shaft in a given direction preparatory to a weft replenishing operation of the loom, return means thereafter restoring the setting shaft to the normal position thereof, means operatively connecting the train to the setting shaft when the latter moves in said given direction to move the train in a direction to move the detector to shuttle detecting position and move the latch into the path of the lay, the train remaining in the position to which it is moved by the shaft when said return means restores the shaft to the' normal position thereof, the lay moving a shuttle if the latter is misplaced against the detector after said return means has restored the shaft to the normal position thereof and causing the misplaced shuttle to move said train in the opposite direction and rnovel the latch out of the path of the lay by a force transmitted positively through said train, and means acting after a given rearward motion of the lay subsequent to a replenishing operation to return the train to the normal position thereof.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a train of elements moving in unison including a shuttle position detector in non-detecting position and a transferrer latch out of the path of the lay when the vtrain is in normal position, a normally stationary settingshaft, a bobbin releaser having a motion preparatory to a weft replenishing operation of thev loom, a dog on said releaser operatively related tothe setting shaft during part of said motion ofthe releaser effecting a setting movement of the shaft and becoming non-operatively related to the shaft as the re- `leaser approaches the end of said motion, return means thereafter immediately restoring the shaft to the normal stationary position thereof, means causing the shaft when having said setting movement to move said train to move the detector to detecting position and move said latch into the path of the lay, the train remaining in the position to which the same is moved by the shaft when the latter is restored to the normal stationary position thereof, and means acting independently of said shaft after the lay has completed a given rearward movement subsequent to a replenishing operation moving said train to the normal position thereof.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a setting shaft, a spring lock normally holding the shaft stationary in the normal position thereof, means operative preparatory to a weft replenishing operation of the loom giving said shaft a setting movement, said spring lock immediately thereafter returning the shaft to the normal position thereof, a shuttle position detector normally in non-detecting position, a transferrer latch normally out of the path of the lay, positive connections between the detector and latch causing said detector and latch to move in unison, force transmitting Ymeans causing the shaft when having the setting movement thereof to move the detector to the detecting position thereof and cause said positive connections to move the latch into the path of the lay but ineifective to move the detector and latch when the shaft returns to the normal position thereof, the detector remaining in detecting position after the shaft has returned to the normal position thereof, and means operating subsequent to a given rearward motion of the lay after a weft replenishing operation independently of the shaft returning the detector and-latch to the normal positions thereof.

6. In a weft replenishing loom having a lay, a train of positively connected elements including a shuttle position detector in non-detecting position and a transferrer latch out of the path of the lay when the train is in normal position, actuator means having a working stroke followed by an idle return stroke preparatory to a weft replenishing operation of the loom effective when having said working stroke to move the train to transfer position to move the detector to shuttle detecting position and move the latch into the path of the lay, the train thereupon remaining in transfer position, said train moving the latch out of the path of the lay if the detector is moved by a misplaced shuttle when the detector is in shuttle detecting position to prevent a replenishing operation, the latch being engaged with the lay for a given interval of movement of the lay incident to a replenishing operation and thereafter becoming disengaged from the lay, and means operating subsequent to said interval returning said train to normal position. Y

WALTER H. VVAKEFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent: e

UNITED STATES PATENTS i Number Name Date 2,222,995 Turner Nov. 26, 1940 2,525,148 Rinne et al. .r Oct. 10, 1950 

